Wireless communication networks provide wireless communication services to wireless communication devices over a relatively large area. In some cases, a wireless network will supplement the coverage area of wireless macrocells with lower power picocells. A picocell typically provides wireless communication devices with access to the wireless network in areas where the macrocells are either not able to provide wireless service or where the picocell would be able to better provide wireless service.
In order to provide wireless services, the picocell, like a macrocell, requires a backhaul link to communicate with the wireless network. In many cases, a picocell will connect to the wireless network via an Internet connection (e.g. cable, DSL, or otherwise) at the location where the picocell is placed. In some other cases, a wired Internet connection may not be feasible at a particular picocell location or may otherwise not be the most cost effective or practical option.
Overview
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for providing in-band backhaul from a wireless macrocell. In a particular embodiment, a method is provided for operating a wireless communication system allocated a plurality of frequency resource segments. The method provides receiving communications for wireless transfer from the wireless communication system using a first antenna system and a second antenna system, wherein a gain of the first antenna system is higher than a gain of the second antenna system. The method further provides determining a first subset of the communications that should be transferred over the first antenna system and transferring the first subset of the communications from the first antenna system using a first portion of the plurality of frequency resource segments. The method further provides transferring communications other than the first subset of the communications from the second antenna system using frequency resource segments other than the first portion of the plurality of frequency resource segment